How to import other Python files?

There are many ways to import a python file, all with their pros and cons.

Dont just hastily pick the first import strategy that works for you or else youll have to rewrite the codebase later on when you find it doesnt meet your needs.

Ill start out explaining the easiest example #1, then Ill move toward the most professional and robust example #7

Example 1, Import a python module with python interpreter:

Put this in /home/el/foo/fox.py:

def what_does_the_fox_say():
  print(vixens cry)

Get into the python interpreter:

[email protected]:/home/el/foo$ python
Python 2.7.3 (default, Sep 26 2013, 20:03:06) 
>>> import fox
>>> fox.what_does_the_fox_say()
vixens cry
>>>

You imported fox through the python interpreter, invoked the python function what_does_the_fox_say() from within fox.py.

Example 2, Use execfile or (exec in Python 3) in a script to execute the other python file in place:

Put this in /home/el/foo2/mylib.py:
```
def moobar():
  print(hi)
```

Put this in /home/el/foo2/main.py:

execfile(/home/el/foo2/mylib.py)
moobar()

run the file:
```
[email protected]:/home/el/foo$ python main.py
hi
```
The function moobar was imported from mylib.py and made available in main.py

Example 3, Use from … import … functionality:

Put this in /home/el/foo3/chekov.py:

def question():
  print where are the nuclear wessels?

Put this in /home/el/foo3/main.py:
```
from chekov import question
question()
```
Run it like this:
```
[email protected]:/home/el/foo3$ python main.py 
where are the nuclear wessels?
```
If you defined other functions in chekov.py, they would not be available unless you import *

Example 4, Import riaa.py if its in a different file location from where it is imported

Put this in /home/el/foo4/stuff/riaa.py:

def watchout():
  print computers are transforming into a noose and a yoke for humans

Put this in /home/el/foo4/main.py:

import sys 
import os
sys.path.append(os.path.abspath(/home/el/foo4/stuff))
from riaa import *
watchout()

Run it:

[email protected]:/home/el/foo4$ python main.py 
computers are transforming into a noose and a yoke for humans

That imports everything in the foreign file from a different directory.

Example 5, use os.system(python yourfile.py)

import os
os.system(python yourfile.py)

Example 6, import your file via piggybacking the python startuphook:

Update: This example used to work for both python2 and 3, but now only works for python2. python3 got rid of this user startuphook feature set because it was abused by low-skill python library writers, using it to impolitely inject their code into the global namespace, before all user-defined programs. If you want this to work for python3, youll have to get more creative. If I tell you how to do it, python developers will disable that feature set as well, so youre on your own.

See: https://docs.python.org/2/library/user.html

Put this code into your home directory in ~/.pythonrc.py

class secretclass:
    def secretmessage(cls, myarg):
        return myarg +  is if.. up in the sky, the sky
    secretmessage = classmethod( secretmessage )

    def skycake(cls):
        return cookie and sky pie people cant go up and 
    skycake = classmethod( skycake )

Put this code into your main.py (can be anywhere):

import user
msg = The only way skycake tates good 
msg = user.secretclass.secretmessage(msg)
msg += user.secretclass.skycake()
print(msg +  have the sky pie! SKYCAKE!)

Run it, you should get this:

$ python main.py
The only way skycake tates good is if.. up in the sky, 
the skycookie and sky pie people cant go up and  have the sky pie! 
SKYCAKE!

If you get an error here: ModuleNotFoundError: No module named user then it means youre using python3, startuphooks are disabled there by default.

Credit for this jist goes to: https://github.com/docwhat/homedir-examples/blob/master/python-commandline/.pythonrc.py Send along your up-boats.

Example 7, Most Robust: Import files in python with the bare import command:

Make a new directory /home/el/foo5/
Make a new directory /home/el/foo5/herp

Make an empty file named __init__.py under herp:

[email protected]:/home/el/foo5/herp$ touch __init__.py
[email protected]:/home/el/foo5/herp$ ls
__init__.py

Make a new directory /home/el/foo5/herp/derp

Under derp, make another __init__.py file:

[email protected]:/home/el/foo5/herp/derp$ touch __init__.py
[email protected]:/home/el/foo5/herp/derp$ ls
__init__.py

Under /home/el/foo5/herp/derp make a new file called yolo.py Put this in there:

def skycake():
  print SkyCake evolves to stay just beyond the cognitive reach of  +
  the bulk of men. SKYCAKE!!

The moment of truth, Make the new file /home/el/foo5/main.py, put this in there;
```
from herp.derp.yolo import skycake
skycake()
```
Run it:
```
[email protected]:/home/el/foo5$ python main.py
SkyCake evolves to stay just beyond the cognitive reach of the bulk 
of men. SKYCAKE!!
```
The empty __init__.py file communicates to the python interpreter that the developer intends this directory to be an importable package.

If you want to see my post on how to include ALL .py files under a directory see here: https://stackoverflow.com/a/20753073/445131

importlib was added to Python 3 to programmatically import a module.

import importlib

moduleName = input(Enter module name:)
importlib.import_module(moduleName)

The .py extension should be removed from moduleName. The function also defines a package argument for relative imports.

In python 2.x:

Just import file without the .py extension
A folder can be marked as a package, by adding an empty __init__.py file
You can use the __import__ function, which takes the module name (without extension) as a string extension

pmName = input(Enter module name:)
pm = __import__(pmName)
print(dir(pm))

Type help(__import__) for more details.

How to import other Python files?

To import a specific Python file at runtime with a known name:

import os
import sys

…

scriptpath = ../Test/

# Add the directory containing your module to the Python path (wants absolute paths)
sys.path.append(os.path.abspath(scriptpath))

# Do the import
import MyModule